Lending a hand: Statistics Department staff members helping the public register on the Padu system at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) in Kuala Lumpur. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Acknowledging that T20 and certain M40 households are hesitant in registering on the Central Database Hub (Padu), the Statistics Department has urged them to do so as it will help the government craft better policies for everyone, not just the needy.
It said Padu was more than just about government aid, and its data would also be used in disaster relief operations and for planning infrastructure and public amenities.
Noting also the security and privacy concerns of some users, the department said that while it could not guarantee 100% security, the database was repeatedly being stress-tested to ward off hackers.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said of the 3.43 million Malaysians above 18 who have already registered and updated their profiles on Padu, only 38% are from the M40 and T20 categories, at 26% and 11%, respectively.
The highest registrations and updates were from the B40 category, at 62.1% as of Thursday.
“The main focus for Padu is to ensure that Malaysians will not be left behind in any rakyat-oriented initiatives by the government while ensuring the implementation of holistic, targeted policies.“We encourage people from the T20 category or any individuals who feel that they are not eligible for assistance to register and update their profile in Padu. The focus of the data hub is not solely on the aid element alone.
“It also covers the protection aspects, especially in disseminating important information during disasters or epidemics,” he told The Star.
Mohd Uzir said Padu was not a temporary measure but could be the main data source for the government in shaping the nation’s population profile by evaluating the effectiveness of, or even improving, current instruments.
These include job mismatch issues, the education and health infrastructure, as well as preparing the country as it heads towards ageing nation status.
Currently, the highest Padu updates were by those in the 18-39 age group at 46.9%, followed by the 40-59 group with 38.8%, and 14.3% among those 60 and above.
However, since the 18-29 age bracket is the second highest population composition based on age group, it is also the lowest in registering and updating their profile in the government’s data hub when compared with the total number of Malaysians in that age group.
“It is possible that some of them are currently pursuing their studies, or there are those who are just starting work and are still single,” said Mohd Uzir.
The lowest number of updates come from those aged 70 and above, and the department has set up registration counters in collaboration with Digital Economy Centres (PEDi), Urban Transformation Centres (UTCs), Rural Transformation Centre (RTCs) and the National Library to assist.
A “Padu flying squad” has also been mobilised to assist Malaysians who need help to register and update their personal information.
Despite the reluctance of the T20 and M40 group, Mohd Uzir said he is confident that the deadline of March 31 will be sufficient for the remaining 29 million Malaysians to register and update their profiles.He said that the data hub was developed through the integration of data from government agencies and statutory bodies to ensure that it is loaded with information in order to become a platform that is user-friendly.
“Padu will give space to the public to update their profiles, and we highly encourage them to do so. While there is no penalty against those who do not log into their profiles, it is possible the individual might miss new initiatives being considered by the government,” he added.
